People power has pulled the plug on controversial plans for a huge electricity plant.

A rising tide of public opinion against the proposal saw residents, councillors and local MPs joining forces to speak out against the plant plan.

A petition set up against the plan for the former Droylsden Robertson’s Jam site, immediately attracted more than 600 signatures, while a Facebook page called ‘Say No to Power Station on Manchester Road, Audenshaw’ was ‘liked’ hundreds of times.

Now the planning application, which had been submitted to Tameside Council to build the power plant on canal-side land on the Droylsden / Audenshaw border, has been officially withdrawn by energy firm UK Power Reserve Ltd.